Refrigerated display cabinet



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May 18, 1937@ W. G. BATE REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINET Filed June 18, 1936 INVENTOR Warwiak `(SI. Bate BY M- ATTORNEY Patented May 18, 1937 A UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 2,081,048 H v REFRIGERATED DISPLAY CABINET Warwick G. kBate, Newton Falls, Ohio Application June 18, 1936, vSerial No.V 85,902

s claims. e (c1. 62-895) This invention relates to a refrigerated display cabinet for the exhibition of cut owers, and has for its object to provide a convenientv and relatively inexpensive show case or cabinet foruse at cigar or news stands, and in stores of various kinds, .which is adapted to preserve and attrac tively display-cut owers. in places more frequented than -a florists-shop, in order to reduce the inconvenience to thepublic in making small purchases of flowers, to increase the use of boutonnieres and corsages,v toincrease the purchase of owers for display in homes and to provide a practical means of protably disposing of the surplus stock of flower shops, thereby reducing the heavy losses due to the perishing of cut flowers in such shops.

In addition the invention has for its object to provide a refrigerated cabinet providedwith a relatively large glass enclosed compartment for reception of flowers. which is adequately refrigerated and which is conveniently accessible, for insertion and removal of flowers, and whichis provided with means` for receiving and supporting both long and short stem ,flowers insuch manner that the individual flowers may be inserted or removed without the necessity of handling any of the other owers in the case. n

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise a cabinet of the size illustrated in the accompanying drawing hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a display cabinet which embodies the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the display cabinet withthe upper portion thereof shown in section;

Fig. 3 isa perspective view of one of the cellular ower supports used in the cabinet;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an alternative form of flower support;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the lid in open position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line indicated at 6 5 in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on the line indicated at 'I--l in Fig. 2.

The cabinet of the present invention consists of a rectangular housing I, provided with a fluidtight, horizontal partition V2 of heat insulating material, which forms the top of a compartment 3 in which the motor and refrigerating equipment may be housed. The upper portion of the hous` y ing is divided by a partition 4 extending fromone sidewall tothe. other ofthe housing near the y5 rear wall and horizontallyacross the housing a short distance above thepartition `2- into a rela. tively deep display compartment 5 at 4the front, and a relatively narrow refrigerating compartment 6 at the rear ofthe compartment 5. y

The display compartment 5 occupies themajor portion of the upper part of the housing and itis in this compartment .that thefiowers are placed for display purposes. s Y.

Thepartition 4-has a mirror surface 'I on the front thereof to, reect images of: the flowers in the display compartmenhwm The refrigerating compartment B contains suitable-means for extracting heat from the. display compartment; Mechanical refrigeration is preferred, but the compartment I may beused as an ice compartmentif desired.Y "Ihe vdisplay Vcom*- partmentA has glass sidewalls,` 8, a glass ,front wall 9 and the top. thereof is covered by a 'glass lid Il) connected to the housing by hinges II at its rear edge. The lid I is arranged to swing from its horizontal closed position tol a position slightly past the vertical. A suitableA air Ycushion check is provided to insure gentle closing of the lid. s herein shown, the check consists ofV an air cylinder I2 hinged to the housing and a piston I3 hinged to the lid, suitable means being provided for allowing entry of air into the cylinder during the opening movement of the lid and grad# ual escape of air from the cylinder during the final closing movement of the lid. Astop pin I4 is engaged by the piston when the piston and cylinder are in a substantially vertical position to limit the rearward swinging movement of the lid and to support the lid ina position inclined at a small anglerrearwardly from the vertical. e In the bottom of the display compartment is a flower supporting frame which may consist of a series of` elongated cellular flower supports of different heights such asl shown in Figs. 1,*f2, and 3, and 6. The flower supports I extend nearly the full length of the compartment and the higher supports are preferably placed at the rear as shown in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, each rectangular support consists of an outer framework and zigzag partitions I6 which form between them closely spaced upright tubes I'I which are adapted to receive the stems of flowers. The ce1- lular flower supports I5 are provided at their ends with suitable projecting lugs I8 by means of which they are supported on the ends of a water pan I9.

In Fig. 4 there is shown another form of supporting frame, which consists of a at plate 20 adapted to be supported at its ends on the water pan I9, the plate 20 being provided throughout its entire extent with closely spaced holes 2| in which tapering tubular flower supporting members 22 are detachably seated. The supporting members 22 are of different lengths to accommodate flowers with long and short stems.

The water pan I 9, which extends nearly the full length of the display compartment, rests upon the bottom 2, and flowers placed in the supporting frame have their stems extending down through tubular supporting members into the water in the pan I9. Y

When the cabinet is mechanically refrigerated, refrigerating pipes 23 extend up into the vertical portion of the compartment 6 to a coil 24 near the top of the compartment to maintain the air in the display compartment at the desired temperature.

The upper edge of the partition 4 is below the top Wall of the housing providing a slot 25 along the top for circulation of air between the compartments 5 and 6. The lower edge of the partition 4 is above the horizontal partition 2, so that air may circulate under the lower edge of the partition and along opposite ends of the water pan and flower supports which are spaced from the ends of the compartment 5.

In order to avoid dimming of the mirror 'I by condensation of moisture thereon it is desirable to maintain the temperature of the mirror about the same as that of the air with which it contacts. To this end partition 4 is preferably composed of heat insulating material.

The device of the present invention provides a simple and relatively inexpensive portable flower display cabinet which provides means for supporting the flowers in such manner that individual flowers may be quickly and easily removed, and by means of which an attractive display of flowers may be made in places where large numbers of people pass.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the particular form of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration, and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top walls, a partition forming the rear wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, a iiower supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising closely spacedupright tubular open ended stem receiving members, and a water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath said supporting frame to receive stems projecting through said tubular members.

2. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top walls, a partition forming the rear wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, a flower supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising closely spaced upright tubular open ended stem receiving members, said tubular members being of different lengths to accommodate flower stems of various lengths, and a water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath said supporting frame to receive stems projecting through said tubular members.

3. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top walls, a partition forming the rear wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, the front surface of said partition being a mirror, a flower supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising closely spaced, upright, tubular, open ended stem receiving members, and a water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath said supporting frame to receive stems projecting through said tubular members.

4. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top walls, a

partition forming the rear wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, a flower supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising closely spaced, upright, tubular, open ended stem receiving members, a water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath said supporting frame to receive stems projecting through said tubular members, and refrigerating coil in the upper portion of the refrigerating compartment.

5. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top walls, said top wall being hinged along its rear edge, a partition forming the rear wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, a flower supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising closelyV spaced upright tubular open ended` stem receiving members, and a water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath said supporting frame to receive stems projecting through said tubular members, said supporting frame and water pan being removable through the top of the housing when said top wall is swung to open position.

6. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top walls, a partition forming the rear wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, a flower supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising a plurality of rectangular cellular units of different heights extending the full length of the compartment, each unit having closely spaced tubular stern receiving portions which are open at top and bottom, and a Water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath the supporting frame.

'7. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided With a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided With transparent front, end and top Walls, a partition forming the rear Wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear Wall of the housing to provide a narrow refrigerating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, a oWer supporting frame forming the bottom of the display compartment, said frame comprising a plate supported in the housing and having closely spaced openings throughout the extent thereof and open ended tapering tubular ower supporting members of diierent lengths supported in said openings, and a water pan supported in the housing immediately beneath the supporting frame.

8. A refrigerating display cabinet comprising a housing provided with a display compartment in the upper portion thereof which is provided with transparent front, end and top Walls, a partition forming thev rear Wall of said display compartment, said partition being spaced from the rear Wall of the housing to provide a narrow refr-ig` erating compartment at the rear of the display compartment, an air passage being provided along an edge of the partition for circulation of air between the display and refrigerating compartments, the front face of said partition having a mirror surface and said partition being composed cf heat insulating material back of the mirror so that the temperature of the mirror is maintained at near the temperature of the air with which it contacts.

WARWICK G. BATE. 

